The Mark
by Sugarythought
Summary: Inuyasha transforms into a full demon after losing the Tessaiga in a battle. In the chaos, he kidnaps Kagome and takes her away to a cave. While in the cave, Inuyasha marks Kagome as his mate. When he is finally able to pull through and becomes half demon again, he is distant from Kagome. Rated for a bit of steam. R&R
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Parts of this story are pulled from my old story "Red Gaze". Red Gaze was written years ago and I only wrote the prologue. I've decided to revisit it, renew it, and redo it! :) The idea came to me and I just needed to write it. I know this is short but it is only the prologue. I promise to not leave this one hanging like my old story. Please enjoy!

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The large bear demon that had caused it all lay in pieces scattered all over the place. His head was severed from his body. His eyes were permanently stuck open staring at his opponent. The smell of blood hung thick in the air. The heat from the sun glared down from the sky making the air waver every few seconds. A rusty sword stood discarded in the mud yards away from the battlefield.

In the midst of it all was a red clad demon. His long claws coated with a deep red paint. Blood from the demon and that that had seeped from his own wounds stained his clothing. His chest heaved with every breath he took. His muscles tensed at every noise, every scent. Purple streaks lined his face. Large fangs protruded from his open mouth. He stared down at his dismantled prey through red engulfed eyes.

A girl stood no more than a few metres in front of him. She had her hand held up to her chest as she breathed heavily, her gaze never leaving that of the demon before her. The sleeves of her shirt had been rolled up and her hair had been pushed back. Her skin was soaked with sweat.

Her comrades lay injured on the ground. The monk and demon exterminator had been injured during the battle. The kit hid shivered behind a nearby tree, looking out every so often to see how his friends were doing.

The demon raised his arms and flexed his claws, his eyes flashing towards the girl. He smiled sadistically when the young girl took a step back instinctively.

"Inuyasha…" the girl whispered. What was in front of her wasn't Inuyasha. He wasn't her hanyou. Inuyasha was lost. What stood before her was a beast. She tried to gulp but couldn't get past the growing lump in her throat.

He gave a harsh laugh before charging towards her. She brought her arms up to cover her face reflexively.

"No!" she screamed. She felt strong arms grab her around the waist. The smell of blood was stronger than ever. She kept her eyes closed tightly. Her stomach became woozy as she was lifted into the air. The arms never loosened their grip.

She heard her name called weakly from the ground where she once stood. She was too afraid to open her eyes.


	2. No Escape

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who followed, favourited, and/or reviewed the prologue to this story! You've all made me feel so happy about writing this! Please let me know what you think of this chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts! :) love to you all.

-sugarythought

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Kagome clung to Inuyasha as he leapt up the side of a cliff. He landed gracefully on edges and rocks while carrying her over his shoulder. Her legs dangled in front of him and her fingers dug into his red fire rat coat. She stared with wide eyes down at the ground as it got further away the higher up they went. Inuyasha hadn't said a word to her but she knew he was still in his demon form. Hanyou Inuyasha was aggressive but never this brutal. She couldn't remember him being stuck in the transformation for this long. The thought that he might never go back to normal crossed her mind several times. As soon as Tessaiga had been knocked aside she should have run and grabbed it. Kagome cursed herself for not learning from their previous mistakes. If only she had been able to grab the sword before he took her away. This could've all been over.

Inuyasha grunted as he landed on the edge of the cliff. He dropped her unceremoniously on the ground. Kagome pulled herself up and took a look around. A cave loomed dark and ominous before her. She glanced behind her. They were above the tree line. The open sky stretched wide in front of them. The sun was beginning to set, turning the sky shades of pink and orange. In any other circumstance, she would've found the sight to be quite breathtaking. The reality of the situation though overruled the scenery. Night was almost upon them. There was nowhere to go. Inuyasha was staring down at her, his eyes pure red. He was smirking. His fangs were sharp against his lips.

He strode over to the side of the cave entrance where a small group of trees were growing just off the cliff. With a single swipe of his claws, he tore the trees into pieces. He carried the pile of wood with one hand and grabbed her arm with the other. He started to drag her into the cave.

"Inuyasha! No! Please stop!" Kagome screamed. She tried to pull away from him but his grip was too strong. She felt her bare skin scrape against the rock as he pulled her into the cave. She yelped in pain.

Somehow this seemed to register with Inuyasha, even in his demon form. He lifted her from the ground by the arm he had in his grasp. Her legs merely grazed the ground instead of scraping against it.

The darkness enclosed upon them. The only light came from the cave opening that was getting smaller the further in they went. Inuyasha stopped and dropped her. Kagome immediately crawled away from him, towards the wall.

She stared at him. What was he planning to do? He wouldn't really hurt her… right? She thought of all the other times he had transformed. They were lucky enough to snap him out of it before he became too much of a danger to them and himself. After all, they had been told that if Inuyasha remained in his demon form for too long, he would be lost to it. He wouldn't be able to recognize friend from foe. They had been so careful lately. How did they let this happen?

Inuyasha put the wood together neatly in a pile. He grabbed two rocks and with a few strikes a fire began to grow within the wood. He nursed the fire for a few moments until it was able to sustain itself on its own. Kagome was shocked at his ability to perform such a normal task in his current form. Inuyasha stood and she felt his eyes linger on her. She averted her gaze, feeling nervous. He was walking towards her. Her heart was thumping in her chest. She kept her eyes on his bare feet as they headed in her direction. She was surprised however when those feet walked right by her to the entrance of the cave.

"Where are you going?" She asked, uncertainly. He turned his head at her voice. His eyes burned bright in the darkness of the cave. He growled once at her and then leapt off the cliff's edge.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scrambled to her feet and ran outside. She stared down towards the ground. She could just make out his red figure before it disappeared into the trees.

Kagome sat herself down on the rock, letting her legs hang from the edge. She thought about escaping. It would probably be the only chance she'd get. As she looked at the mountain of rock underneath her, she couldn't fathom how she could possibly manage it. She sighed and turned her gaze up to the sky. The moon illuminated the night, dotted by the many twinkling stars. She lost herself in her thoughts. What if he wasn't coming back? Had he abandoned her? She should be happy that she was safe but she felt even more uneasy. What would she do if no one came for her? How would she survive if she couldn't get off this cliff?

A chilled breeze rushed past her and she shivered. She didn't realize how cold the night had become. Her fingers were numb and goosebumps covered her bare skin. She sighed again, her breath a white cloud in the cool air. Kagome stood and went back into the cave to warm herself beside the fire.

Sitting by the flames, feeling the heat made her feel the slightest bit better. She may starve to death but at least she wouldn't be cold. Kagome hadn't even known she had drifted off to sleep until she was startled awake by the sound of a growl.

She looked up. Inuyasha was standing in front of her, his glare penetrating. Purple still lined his cheeks and red fire still blazed in his eyes. He tossed a skinned, cooked rabbit in front of her and then went to the other side of the fire. He stared at her from across the flames. He bared his teeth and nodded towards the rabbit. Kagome sat up, taking the small animal. She picked at the food. She hadn't intended to eat much but didn't realize how hungry she actually was. She started taking big chunks of meat off of the rabbit. She hadn't eaten since earlier on in the day before they had encountered the bear demon.

Seeing her eat seemed to satisfy Inuyasha. He peeled his fire-rat coat off and the shirt he wore underneath. A number of cuts marred his chiseled body. Several of them were leaking blood. He closed his eyes. His body began to relax though his ears twitched at every crack of the fire.

Kagome sat watching him for some time. _He must be in pain_ , she thought. His body almost never went into youkai form without an immediate danger to his survival. A particularly large gash across his chest caused by the bear demon's claws was seeping a steady stream of dark blood. Inuyasha remained still and silent as though it didn't bother him. Maybe he really couldn't feel it. He looked almost like he would have as a hanyou with his eyes closed and his face relaxed. The tell-tale signs that he was still lost to her were the purple streaks across his face, the long claws, and the sharp teeth protruding from his mouth.

As the night wore on the cave grew colder and damp, making the fire seem miniscule. Kagome crawled closer to where Inuyasha sat, watching him carefully. He was radiating more heat than the fire. _He might have a fever_ , she thought. She couldn't just sit there while he was ill or wounded. Even if he didn't feel it, he was in danger. Kagome ripped an already torn piece of her shirt. Her uniform was beyond saving. Gently, she began to dab her makeshift cloth over his wounds. His body tensed and Kagome paused, cautiously. When he continued to remain still, she resumed tending to his wounds.

She was in the middle of cleaning the slash on his chest when Inuyasha's hand came forth and grabbed hers. Kagome's breath hitched in her throat. She glanced up at him. He was staring at her intently. His eyes were still demonic but they no longer held the same maliciousness that she had seen before. She was startled when he grabbed her around the waist and stood, lifting her up with him. His hands grasped her waist and he pushed her against the wall of the cave gruffly.

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome was shaking, her cloth dropped from her hand. Was this it? Was he going to kill her? No… she had to trust that her hanyou was still in there. She stared into his unfamiliar red eyes, pleading with them.

"Inuyasha! Snap out of it!" Kagome screamed at him. Inuyasha responded by taking her legs and wrapping them around his body. She wrapped her hands around his enchanted necklace to steady herself. She thought about commanding him to sit but feared his reaction. He dipped his face down. She felt his nose skim her skin and down her shirt, hovering over her breast. Her chest heaved. She felt like she couldn't breathe properly. She couldn't hear anything other than her own heart hammering hard against her chest. Inuyasha was breathing steadily and deeply. He seemed to be taking in her scent. His nose rose higher as he reached her shoulder. One of his hands came up and tore at the top of her shirt, leaving her shoulder exposed. His claws were careful not to harm her. Kagome gasped and her legs tightened around his body. She was afraid he would drop her. She let out a shaky breath as she felt his mouth graze her neck.

The graze turned into kissing. He was kissing her neck. His mouth was warm as he moved it from her shoulder to her neck. She gasped and shivered when he nipped her ear. She could feel his mouth form a smirk as though he was pleased by her reaction.

Kagome certainly didn't feel cold anymore. She felt overheated. Inuyasha pressed himself against Kagome, pinning her to the wall. She became very aware of her thin clothing as one of his hands moved to the hem of her shirt while the other one slipped across her bare leg towards her bottom. Her mind was a fog. She couldn't think straight. She knew she should be stopping him, after all this wasn't really him. Somehow, she just couldn't find the will. His mouth felt so good on her neck. She had never known this feeling. No one had ever done this to her before. She hadn't realized how much she had wanted this… needed it.

"Inuyasha…" Her voice was a wisp. She was out of breath, though she had done nothing to exert herself.

Inuyasha halted his motions for a moment. She felt relief as she tried to catch her breath. It was short lived. A sharp gasp escaped her as he licked the muscle between her neck and her clavicle. Her pulse quickened. Inuyasha opened his mouth and sunk his teeth into her skin.

"Oh!" Kagome cried out. The bite hurt but at the same time it was the most pleasurable feeling she had ever experienced. She shut her eyes and let out a moan.

Almost immediately Inuyasha pulled away. Kagome's eyes sprung open. She tried to look at him but he cast his eyes downwards hidden beneath his hair. She felt his hands loosen their grip.

"Kagome…?" He glanced up at her with concerned, amber eyes.


	3. The Mark

Inuyasha lowered her slowly from the wall. He looked at her briefly before averting his gaze again. His eyes were a mesh of emotion.

He went over to the now smoldering ash that was the fire and grabbed his shirt and coat. He walked towards the entrance of the cave leaving Kagome feeling cold and alone. Her heart was still racing from their encounter. She lifted her hand to the spot where his mouth had been. It felt tender and wet. When she pulled her hand away, she was surprised to see her fingers coated in a light layer of blood. _He bit me…_

Kagome felt strange. She had never been touched like that before. Her breath quickened at the thought of Inuyasha kissing her neck. Kagome bit her lip and shook her head. She had never been one to get all caught up in this sort of thing but then no one had ever made her feel like that.

Once Kagome was sure she had her emotions under check, she followed Inuyasha out of the cave. He sat on the cliff's edge, staring out into the night's sky. He was clad in his fire red coat again.

"Inuyasha?"

His body tensed at her voice. He stood up quickly and turned towards her. The moon was at his back, casting his body in shadow. Kagome moved closer to him, determined to see his face. She let out a sigh of relief as she took in his hanyou features. She reached up and gingerly brushed her hand across his cheek. There were no more purple lines scarring his face and his mouth wasn't gaped by the large fangs. His amber eyes flicked to hers before shifting away anxiously again.

"Oh Inuyasha, I was so worried about you…" Kagome spoke softly. "I thought you might -"

Inuyasha pulled away from her abruptly. "Come on. I'll take you to the others."

He knelt down, readying himself for her to climb on to his back. Kagome hesitated briefly, thrown off by his coldness towards her. She shook her head, he was probably just feeling upset about allowing himself to lose control. She got on to his back and wrapped her hands around his neck. Inuyasha immediately stiffened again. Kagome felt even more uneasy. Why was he acting so awkward?

He grabbed her legs and pulled them around him securing her to his back. His warms hands touching her legs made Kagome's mind race back to the cave when those same hands roamed her body, one working its way up her leg towards her bottom while the other one went under her shirt. She suddenly felt very lightheaded as Inuyasha jumped down the cliff side, lowering them to the ground.

Inuyasha didn't say a word to her the entire way to Kaede's village. Kagome wondered how he was feeling. He usually went into a period of self-loathing after becoming a demon. She wanted to comfort and reassure him. He had done a lot worse in the past. He didn't kill anyone this time other than the bear demon who was wreaking havoc anyways. Sango and Miroku were hurt but it didn't look severe from where she had stood.

The sun was beginning to rise through the trees as they continued on. Kagome's mind persisted towards Inuyasha's well-being. Maybe his wounds were bothering him. She hadn't had much of a chance to tend to them in the cave. Some of his blood had even soaked onto her school shirt when he had pressed her against the cave wall. The thought made other thoughts rush towards her again. She groaned internally, trying to push the memory from her mind.

She was caught off guard when Inuyasha stopped in front of the village. It was alive and bustling with the sounds of the villagers beginning their morning routines. None of them paid any mind to the half demon as they had become very used to his presence. Inuyasha shrugged Kagome from his back. She jumped off in time to catch herself from falling to the ground.

"Inuyasha –" She began but he cut her off.

"They're in Kaede's hut." He started to strut away from her towards the forest.

"Wait! Where are you going?" She yelled after him. "What about your wounds?"

"Keh! This is nothing." He spoke proudly without bothering to face her. She watched him disappear behind the tree line.

Kagome huffed in frustration and ran off towards Kaede's hut. She pulled aside the straw door as she reached it. She was immediately bombarded by a furry friend.

"Kagome!"

Shippo had latched himself onto her face, hugging her and crying. "I thought he had killed you!"

Kagome laughed lightly at his affectionate welcome. "I'm okay, how is everyone else?"

Sango and Miroku were sitting on the floor smiling at her, clearly relieved to see her well. Kaede was stirring a pot of stew over the fire in the center of the hut.

"Kagome are you hurt?" Sango peered at her concernedly, clearly taking in her haggard form.

"No, I'm alright," Kagome said reassuringly. She sat down beside them. When they continued to watch her cautiously, she spoke again. "He didn't hurt me. I've just got a few bruises and scrapes. Nothing I can't handle."

"Where is he?" Miroku asked.

"He dropped me off and then wandered away into the forest." Kagome hesitated and fiddled with the hem of her dirty, mangled skirt. "He's… himself again. His wounds looked pretty bad…"

Kaede stood and grabbed a bundle of assorted ointments and bandages. "I'll go see to him. You stay here and get some rest, child. You look exhausted."

Kagome nodded. She suddenly felt very tired. Perhaps maybe some sleep would do her good. If Kaede was seeing to Inuyasha, maybe she'd be able to knock some sense into him and get him to come back. Kagome lay down on a mat by the fire and shut her eyes.

She quickly fell into a deep sleep. She dreamt of Inuyasha. He was leaning over her. One arm bracing himself so as not to crush her under his weight. He stared at her with soft eyes. His hair enveloped them in a curtain of silver. His free hand caressed her face. His thumb nudged over her bottom lip. She looked up at him, wanting. He gave her a brief smile before lowering himself on top of her. His mouth was inches from hers. She could feel his breath on her lips. Her heart was racing, bound to burst from her chest.

A loud crash sounded from outside the hut. Kagome sprung awake but her heart still pounded from her dream. She brought her hand up to her chest in hopes of quelling her berating heart. She looked around disoriented. It took her a moment to take in her surroundings and remember what had happened. She stared down at her torn, blood encrusted clothes. She suddenly felt very unhygienic.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Kagome jumped at the familiar voice booming outside.

"It's none of your concern!" came a certain hanyou's reply.

The door to the hut swung aside with such force, Kagome thought it would come off the wall. Koga entered the room. Upon seeing her on the floor, he raced towards her kneeling before her.

"Kagome! Thank goodness you're safe!" He had taken her hands in his. "We caught whiff of that mutt's scent but something had changed. Then we heard rumours of a demon running off with a girl and I just knew it had to be that idiot."

"Koga, I'm fine," Kagome said smiling. "Inuyasha would never hurt me."

"I just-" Koga stopped speaking. Kagome glanced at him. He was staring fixatedly at her shoulder. She instinctively brought her hand up to the mark. Koga immediately moved it away and tugged at the bit of shirt covering it, revealing the now bruising bite.

His face went aghast and lost most of its colour. His voice came out merely a whisper. "Did he do this to you?"

"Why?" Kagome asked defensively, she pulled her shirt back over the mark. "What's wrong?"

"He… he marked you."


	4. Stay Safe Kagome

"Marked me?" Kagome continued to watch Koga's expression in awe. She had never seen the wolf demon look so astonished. Koga rocked back on his heels before silently getting up and walking out the door. Kagome sat still for a moment, wondering. What did he mean?

"You… bastard!" Koga's voice was a low sneer.

Kagome quickly got up and went outside. The whole gang was standing in front of the hut. Even some of the villagers had stopped their chores to peer nosily at the group. Inuyasha stood by, his shirt open revealing a newly bandaged chest. Once again, he avoided looking at her.

Koga was standing in front of Inuyasha. His back was turned so Kagome couldn't see his face. Koga swung his leg so quickly; if she had blinked she'd have missed it. His foot hit Inuyasha square in the jaw. The half demon faltered, falling to his knees. He wiped a smear of blood from his lip as he glared up at the wolf.

"Koga!" Kagome yelled.

"It's okay Kagome," Inuyasha grunted without looking her way. "I deserved it."

"Damn right you did!" Koga bellowed over him. "There's more where that came from. How dare you do that to her? You knew I had made a claim for her."

"Keh, she's not yours to claim," Inuyasha retorted as he got to his feet.

"Oh so that makes it okay for you then?" Koga brought his leg up again but Inuyasha caught it in his grip and flipped the wolf over.

"I gave you one free shot," he spat. "I won't do it again. You want a fight? Let's go then wolf."

Kagome had had enough. "Will you two cut it out and explain to me what is going on?!"

The two men turned in her direction. Inuyasha finally looked at her, his eyes softening into what looked like guilt.

Koga glanced between the two of them. "You didn't even tell her? Now I really need to kick your ass. I didn't think you'd stoop so low. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and growled, casting his amber eyes towards his feet.

"Tell me what?" Kagome asked exasperated. She was getting tired of beating around the bush with these two. Something was up and it involved her and the bite mark.

"Kagome," Miroku started. "Did something happen between you and Inuyasha?"

Kagome felt heat rush to her cheeks. She wasn't sure she was ready to talk about it to her friends yet but it seemed she had no other choice at the moment. "Sort of… He… we…"

"I bit her," Inuyasha growled, his voice thick with the same guilt she had seen in his eyes.

Everyone except Kagome gasped in shock. Sango ran over to her and pulled back her shirt to look at the bite. "Does it hurt Kagome?"

"No… not really. I mean it's a bit tender but…" Everyone continued to stare at her in shock. "What's the big deal? What does it mean?"

"Kagome…" Sango gave her friend a sad attempt at a reassuring smile. "Inuyasha has marked you as his mate."

It felt as though the world had fallen beneath her feet. Kagome's knees buckled and her eyes went wide. Sango caught her from falling and Miroku came over to help support her. Kagome stuttered incoherently. She looked over at Inuyasha. He was watching her, his expression filled with anxiousness.

Sango turned to him. "Inuyasha… did you…"

She didn't finish her phrase but clearly Inuyasha knew what she meant. He turned a brighter shade of red than his cloak. "No."

"You didn't?" Koga suddenly seemed relieved. "You bit her and just left her?"

Inuyasha seemed visibly bothered by the conversation. Kagome once again had no clue what they were on about. "I was in my youkai form and I couldn't control my body. I just remember being surrounded by her smell. When I bit her and tasted her blood… I came to and realized what I'd done."

Kagome felt saddened by his guilt. He hadn't been able to control himself but she hadn't exactly asked him to stop either. What would have happened if she had? Maybe he would've still been stuck in his demon form. Maybe he really would've hurt her.

"But you didn't finish the deed?" Koga asked again.

"I already told you," Inuyasha answered through gritted teeth. "Don't worry. I'm going to go away for a while. At least until it heals and goes away. She can stay here until then."

Koga nodded his head, apparently pleased by the half demon's response.

"Wait, what?" Kagome was so confused.

Sango sighed and spoke to Kagome in a low voice. "Biting someone is only part of the mating process. The other part is…"

"Sex."

"Houshi-sama!" Sango smacked Miroku across the cheek.

"Ouch! I was just telling her the truth. She deserves to hear it."

Sango sighed again. "There are gentler ways of telling a woman she needs to consummate with the demon in order for the process to be complete."

"Yes because _consummate_ is a much better word." Miroku received a matching pink hand print on his other cheek.

Kagome glanced uneasily between the two of them, the conversation colouring her cheeks almost the same shade as Miroku's.

"So," Koga had turned once again to Inuyasha. "You're going to leave her. You know that'll be hard on both of you right? I mean, I've never marked someone before but I've heard stories of unfinished business."

"What does he mean?" Kagome asked Miroku and Sango. They seemed to be the only two willing to tell her what was going on instead of speaking in code like Inuyasha and Koga.

"He means you'll both go through heavy periods of deep desire for one another," Miroku stated frankly. "You'll feel it every hour of every day, even in your dreams until either the 'deed is done' or the mark heals."

Kagome blushed again, thinking of the dream she had just had while lying in the hut. That wasn't so bad and the mark was already bruising. Didn't that mean it was healing?

As if reading her thoughts, Sango spoke. "It won't be easy Kagome. The mark won't heal as quickly you might think. You've been injected with a type of poison if you will. It's not a dangerous poison by any means but it will cloud your mind."

"It might be easier to just bang it out," Miroku said so matter-of-factly. He received many glares in return. He backed away from Sango's swinging arm, narrowly missing another hit.

"Your input on this subject is not needed Houshi-sama!"

"It'll be fine!" Inuyasha yelled, he turned and began to walk off. "I'll be back when it wears off. I won't be far. If there's danger, just send Kirara. She'll be able to track me down."

"Inuyasha wait!" Kagome called and she ran towards him. He stopped. She noticed him tense the closer she got, his hands rolled into fists at his sides.

He had his back to them so she walked around him to face him. "Inuyasha, please," she spoke quietly, trying to keep the prying ears out of their conversation. "You don't have to go. I'll go home if that's what it takes."

"Kagome…" He began, his face etched in an expression of hurt. "You should stay here where the others can take care of you. I need to put some distance between us. It won't be long. I… I'm sorry…"

She put her hands on his arms to stop him from moving forward. She immediately felt a surge between them. He was staring at her hazily.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Stay safe Kagome."

With that, he moved out of her grasp and walked towards the forest. Kagome was left feeling very empty.


	5. A Midnight Swim

The first day was really difficult.

Everyone was acting like she was a fine piece of china, willing to break at any moment. Koga had run off to find his pack mates but had stated he would return to check up on her. Sango kept asking her if she needed anything while giving her pitying smiles. Miroku had told her several times that he could explain the rest of the mating process in detail if she wished. Kaede had been feeding her all sorts of herbs that were said to diminish the effects of the poison. Shippo seemed none-the-wiser to it all or was pretending to be as normally he was full of questions. Talk had spread throughout the small village and she was met with strange glances everywhere she went.

Sango had insisted on accompanying her to the lake so that Kagome could clean herself up finally. The cool water felt wonderful on her skin. It numbed the tiny throb that was now emanating from the bite mark. She scrubbed the dried blood and dirt from her body and her hair. Kagome sighed deeply, not wanting to leave the water. She let herself float in the water a little longer than usual. Sango didn't seem to mind. When she finally pulled herself from the lake and put on nice clean clothes from her backpack, she felt immensely better. The feeling was short lived.

The worst part of it all was every time she thought of Inuyasha. Her entire body felt hot like she had a fever. She broke out in a sweat and felt queasy. Luckily it was another hot day so her behavior didn't seem too out of sorts; however she was certain the others were very aware of it. Kagome took to staying inside the hut for much of the day, pulling out her mathematics textbook to distract herself.

As everyone settled in for the night, Kagome felt even more on display. What if she had another dream like the one before? What if she made noises in her sleep? Her blush was hidden in the darkened room. She turned on her mat to face the wall, her back to the others. The dull pain had returned to her shoulder. She tried to concentrate on anything other than the mark but her mind always drew back to Inuyasha. She could hear Miroku and Sango whispering to each other but couldn't make out their words. Somehow she knew they were talking about her.

The fire in the center of the hut dwindled down and the sounds of deep breathing filled the hut. Everyone seemed to be asleep except for Kagome. She couldn't will herself to sleep in front of her friends. Her body heated up again in her embarrassment. She shrugged her sleeping bag off of her and crept to the door. She peered behind her to make sure she hadn't wakened anyone. Everyone continue to sleep soundly. Kagome pulled herself out of the hut and into the crisp night air. It gave her an immediate sense of relief. The sweat on her body cooled, making her shiver slightly.

The village was quiet. The soft creak of the crickets in the grass was the only noise. The moon was high above her, bathing her in low light. The dirt crunched beneath her feet as she made her way through the town. She had decided to go back to the lake. It was the only place she had been to all day that had helped make her feel better. She longed for the cool relief on her aching shoulder.

Kagome breathed in the salty smell of the lake as she reached the shoreline. She glanced around her to make sure no one was around and then peeled off her sweat-drenched clothes. She slowly walked into the water. A sigh of pleasure escaped her as the water chilled her skin. She sunk deeper into the lake, letting it engulf her. She closed her eyes and smiled. The pain in her shoulder subsided.

The snap of a tree branch made her eyes burst open. Kagome searched around the bank for the source but saw no one. _Could it be Inuyasha?_ She thought. She wasn't sure what she would do if it was. He was all she could think about. As she felt the familiar sensation hit her body at the thought of him, she was relieved to find the cool water quelled her reaction to the thought.

"Heh heh heh," a cruel laughter sounded from the trees behind her. She turned quickly to find a lizard like demon staring at her from a top a rock. "A fair maiden decided to go for a midnight swim I see."

Kagome ducked her body into the water, covering her breasts. She glanced at her clothes on the shore. In her haste to feel relief, she hadn't even thought to bring her bow and arrow. She was defenseless and naked.

"Stay away from me!" Kagome yelled.

The demon licked the air with its tongue. "What a tease. The maiden has made the air quite sweet tonight. I think I would like much more than a taste."

The lizard got on all fours and began to slither its way down the rock towards the water's edge.

Kagome backed away as quickly as she could, trying to get to the shore. The water made her movements slow and heavy. Her heart was beating fast. Even if she could get to the shore, how was she to defend herself? She was too far from the village for anyone to hear her call for help.

Suddenly, a red figure burst from the trees.

"Sankon tessou!" The lizard was sliced into pieces before it could even see its opponent.

Inuyasha stared at her from the shore. "Kagome what the hell are you doing?"

Kagome blinked at him. "I needed to cool off."

"Well come on get out the water before-"

He was cut off by the sounds of the trees behind him shuffling. There was the same slithering noise the lizard demon made but much louder than before. It sounded as though hundreds of slimy feet were coming towards them.

"Ah shit." Inuyasha jumped from the shore into the water, splashing Kagome as he landed.

"Inuyasha!"

He grabbed her around the waist and hauled her out of the water. He leapt back onto the shore just as a bunch of lizard demons emerged from the trees. With one large jump, he lifted them higher than the trees, landing deeper in the forest.

The trees around them continued to shuffle and move.

"Damnit." Inuyasha cursed. "Get on my back."

Kagome felt extremely awkward climbing on Inuyasha's back with no clothes on. Inuyasha's hands grazed her butt in his attempt to grab her legs.

"Uh sorry…" he muttered. He secured her legs around his torso and jumped from the ground again, quickly running through the trees. Inuyasha's coat was wet from the water but the air was even cooler on Kagome's naked skin. She clung to Inuyasha tightly, burying her head in his hair. She tried to keep from shivering as the wind rushed past them.

Inuyasha was leaping up something. Kagome lifted her head to see a familiar place loaming before her. He was taking her back to the cave.


	6. Claim Me

"C-couldn't y-you have g-grabbed my c-clothes?"

Kagome heard Inuyasha snort as he gradually climbed steeper up the sloping cliff side. The ascent had seemed a lot quicker when he had taken her up there in his full demon form. Maybe it was because she had been terrified then or perhaps he had simply been less careful. Now he mindfully took his steps whilst one hand remained clung to her leg, securing her to his body.

He grunted as they finally reached the top. "You would be surprised at how being sopping wet adds to how much you weigh."

Kagome ignored his comment. She had never felt so frozen and stiff. Inuyasha let her down gently from his back. He turned to her out of habit but quickly averted his gaze seeming to only remember now that she was naked. His golden eyes flickered away nervously and he seemed obviously bothered.

Kagome peered down at herself. Her dark, damp hair was matted and in disarray near her shoulders. Her skin seemed to have a pale glow in the deep night. She was prickled with goosebumps and her nipples stood quite perky. She must have been a right sight. She hastily put her arms across her chest.

Inuyasha peeled off his fire rat cloak. "I know it's wet but just… just put it on for now."

Kagome looked skeptically at the dripping coat. "It's drenched! I'll catch a cold if I put that on!"

 _I'll catch a cold regardless at this rate,_ she thought to herself. Nevertheless she held it to her chest, covering her most exposed areas.

Inuyasha looked at her then. His eyes were piercing and Kagome felt like her heart might explode from her chest. He sighed in frustration and his face took on a shade of anger. "This was a bad idea. You should've just stayed in the village like I told you to do!"

Kagome's face heated up at his accusations. "Well I didn't did I? You expect me to just sit around and wait for whatever you did to me to just go away?"

Inuyasha began pacing back and forth. "You would've been safe! This thing would've blown over but no… little miss Kagome needed to take a bath! In the middle of the goddamn night!"

"I was burning! My skin felt like it was on fire!"

"You could've been killed!"

"You don't know what it was like!"

"That lizard demon almost had you! If I hadn't been there…"

Kagome stared at him for a moment. "Why were you there? Were you spying on me?"

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks.

"Spying on you? What? No! I was… I mean…" He fumbled to put a sentence together, clearly caught off guard. He took a deep breath and let it out in shakily. "Kagome, I've put you in serious danger."

Inuyasha kept his face hidden beneath his bangs. Kagome carefully walked towards him so that she stood quite close. "I'm in danger?"

He didn't speak right away. Kagome put her hand under his chin to lift his face up. She couldn't help but gasp. He looked visibly wounded. The look of anger completely vanished from his eyes, replaced by an agonizing sorrow.

"The demons… they can sense that you've been marked. They can also sense that you've not been claimed. They're after you to finish the job. Because of what I did to you… and also what I didn't do." His gaze shifted to her collarbone. The bite was obviously very visible. Although she couldn't see it herself, she felt it with every beat of her pulse.

"Kagome, I'm so sorry."

Kagome continued to look into his tormented amber eyes. Her hand that had held his chin, reached up to gently stroke his face. "It's okay. You're here. You'll protect me."

Inuyasha pulled away abruptly. He ran his hands roughly through his hair. "Don't you understand Kagome? Why I tried to stay away?"

Kagome watched him as he began to prowl back and forth again. He looked tense and agitated like a cat kept inside while a bird flittered by the window. His hands curled into balls at his side. "I'm one of the ones you need to be protected from!"

Kagome stood motionless. Her mouth agape as she struggled to answer him. "But… but you… but you wouldn't…"

He stopped his pacing, standing a few feet away from her. "I'm trying my best Kagome but I don't know if I have the resilience to stop myself. Not to mention, we won't be safe here long. You're scent is so… enticing right now. We'll be swarmed by demons before the night is through."

Kagome must have looked very much in shock. Inuyasha let out a heavy sigh. "Look, our best bet is to take you back to the village. Most of the demons stay clear of human gatherings especially with Kaede being a miko. You should be safe. I'll watch the perimeter and catch any of the worthless scum before they can get any closer."

Kagome gulped audibly. Her throat was dry and her voice felt stuck. She shivered from both the cold and the weight of his words.

"We won't leave just yet," Inuyasha continued. His voice was soft. "I'll get a fire going and we'll dry off."

Kagome ventured into the cave as Inuyasha went about collecting wood for the fire. Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked around. No one had been here since they had it would seem. The ground was scattered with charred sticks from their last fire. A few blood crusted strips of her clothes lay nearby. She remembered dabbing the makeshift cloths on Inuyasha's wounded body. She bit her lip as her gaze moved along towards one of the cave walls.

Kagome eyes held steady on the wall of the cave that Inuyasha had pushed her against. She felt her body becoming instantly heightened as she remembered how he had savagely ran his hands along her backside. His mouth rough but gentle enough on the skin of her neck as he kissed it. The feel of his body pressed so close against her own. Finally, the releasing pleasure that overcome her as his teeth sank into her neck.

Kagome's skin felt ablaze and she held her hand over her maddened heartbeat. She longed for that wonderful feeling again; her body was yearning for it.

Inuyasha came into the cave and dropped the firewood on to the previous pile in the centre of the cave. He scratched at his face as he eyed the bloody scraps of cloth on the ground.

Kagome fleetingly wondered how much of that night Inuyasha remembered. For her, the memory was burning bright.

"Inuyasha?" Her voice quivered as she spoke his name. She dropped the fire rat cloak to the ground.

He looked up, startled to see her naked body.

She stared at him with eyes filled with lust. "Claim me."


	7. Stay Here

Inuyasha's eyes flickered quickly to her face at her words. He held her gaze for a few moments before painfully shifting it away towards the ground.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath. "Kagome, I can't."

Kagome could feel the blood pulsing through her. The mark on her shoulder ached. It was becoming too much for her. Her voice came out in a shaky whisper. "Why?"

He was opening and closing his fists, digging his claws into his hands. Kagome could see blood drip slowly from his fingers. He was causing himself physical pain to stop himself. He stood silent, seemingly contemplating the right answer.

"Do you… do you regret it?" Kagome stuttered. She felt unsure now. The passion they had shared in this cave. It felt so right. Even if Inuyasha hadn't been fully aware of his actions, he was still the one doing them albeit subconsciously.

Inuyasha sighed and hesitated before answering her. "What happened that night… The details are sort of scrambled up inside of my head. When I try to pick them apart I get the uncontrollable urge to… well… you know."

Kagome nodded. She inched closer to him, desperately wanting to comfort him.

"I know that I was overcome by the scent of you. I've always thought that you… smell nice. But it was like nothing I've ever experienced. In my youkai form, you surrounded me. It was like you were a part of my own body. I knew just what to do to you because I could feel it in myself. I could hear your heart beating. I tasted the salt on your skin. I felt your body quiver at my touch."

Kagome gulped. She placed her hand over her now loudly beating heart. Inuyasha could probably hear it from where he stood. A shiver ran through her as if he was in fact touching her again. She was reliving the moments all over again.

Inuyasha shook his head and kicked at a charred stick with his foot. "But what I did to you… how I did it… It's unforgivable. I broke your trust."

He looked so solemn.

"Inuyasha… I…" Kagome began but her voice hitched in her throat. She walked towards him. He was avoiding looking at her naked form. She gently grabbed one his hands and touched where his claws had pricked his skin. She felt him shiver and he took in a shaky breath.

The cuts were already beginning to heal themselves, the benefit of being half demon. Traces of blood were still smeared over his hands and tips of his claws. Kagome lifted a hand to her mouth and gently kissed the center of his palm. Inuyasha was breathing hard now. He closed his eyes.

"Kagome, please… I don't know if I can stop myself."

She took the hand she held and gently guided it towards her chest. She placed it on one of her breasts. His hand the colour of brass on her pale white chest. Inuyasha's eyes sprung open in shock. He tried to pull away his hand away but she held it there.

"Inuyasha," she spoke softly. "I've never felt the way I do for you about anyone. Just thinking of you makes my body burn like fire."

"It's just the poison's effect." Inuyasha's voice was a whisper. He was still staring at his hand on her breast but the shock was replaced by a more lustful look in his eyes.

"No," Kagome began. "I could've tried to stop you, even if you were a demon. I could've tried. But I didn't. I let you do what you did. I wanted you to touch me, just like I want you to right now."

Inuyasha's amber eyes slowly traveled towards her face until he was looking at her eye to eye. "Kagome… I… are you sure?"

Kagome looked away briefly, before moving her head in a slight nod. Inuyasha immediately seized her around the waist with his free hand and pushed her towards the cave wall. She let out a gasp at his aggressiveness. His hand slipped from her waist to her backside and gripped her bottom lightly. His eyes closed and he pressed his mouth hard against hers. She leaned up to him, welcoming his kiss. His tongue licked at her lips until she opened them allowing him to explore further. Kagome felt completely in bliss. The mark on her shoulder was still pulsing but it was now emitting the same pleasurable feelings as the night she received it.

Inuyasha released her mouth and she gasped for air. He kissed her along her jawline, inching towards her ear.

"Oh, Inuyasha…" She moaned and closed her eyes.

He bit her ear lightly as his hands squeezed hard on her breasts. She let out a squeak. The feeling that was coursing through her body was like nothing else. He licked her neck all the way down towards her shoulder, leaving her shivering in pleasure.

He paused.

Kagome opened her eyes at the seizing of his movements. "What is it?"

Inuyasha didn't answer. He hastily released her and began walking away towards the cave entrance. His hand went to Tessaiga at his side.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome felt breathless but so very confused.

He turned his head slightly. "Stay here."


End file.
